St. Louis enlists black officers' group in minority police, fire recruiting effort
|
Posted By: How May I Help You NC on November 05, 2014 By ALAN SCHER ZAGIER Associated Press The city of St. Louis on Tuesday announced a new effort to boost minority recruiting in its police department, prompted in part by the increased public scrutiny that followed several recent fatal police shootings of black men by white police officers. The city is teaming up with the local NAACP chapter and the Ethical Society of Police, which represents black officers in St. Louis, in search of recruits for a 10-week mentoring program. Officials hope the effort will increase the number of minority officers, who account for 34 percent of the 1,200-officer department in a city where nearly one out of every two residents is black. "The more people in a neighborhood who have trust in the police officers who protect them, the better they will work together to root out criminals and reduce crime," Mayor Francis Slay said. "The better police officers understand the dynamics of the neighborhoods they patrol, the better they will be at differentiating the good guys from the bad guys." The program will cover report writing and interview skills, fitness, professional etiquette, and community-oriented policing strategies. Participants will also get help applying to the city's police academy. The effort will be funded with $50,000 in city money to allow off-duty police mentors to work part-time. The society has about 250 members. In July, the organization of black police officers issued a "no confidence" statement in Chief Sam Dotson in response to a police exam in which just one black sergeant among 25 to 30 aiming for promotions to lieutenant advanced to that level. The organization railed against Dotson's "administrative antics" and "blatant disregard the chief exhibits toward African-Americans." The tenor was much more congenial Tuesday at City Hall, where Dotson was flanked by the ethical society's top leaders as well as local political leaders. Sgt. Darren Wilson, the ethical society's president, said that while the group remains concerned about the police department's efforts to promote black officers, its members are also heartened by the city's new outreach campaign. "It starts right here," he said. Wilson is not related to Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, who fatally shot 18-year-old Michael Brown in the St. Louis suburb in August. That shooting led to weeks of protests and touched off a national conversation about race and policing. Slay acknowledged the city's efforts to boost minority recruitment in public safety — which also extend to jobs such as firefighters, park rangers, jail guards and court marshals — took on added urgency after Brown's death, as well as the subsequent police shootings in the city of 25-year-old Kajieme Powell and 18-year-old Vonderrit Myers Jr. Both were black men killed by white officers. All three shootings remain under investigation, with a St. Louis County grand jury expected to decide soon whether Wilson should face charges in Brown's death. Follow Alan Scher Zagier on Twitter at http://twitter.com/azagier If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
 |
How May I Help You NC
Management, See Moss Interactive Bellarmine University class of 2021 Member Since January 2011 |
Comments
More From This Author
Latest Career Content
 |
Spending time in a GARAGE Build it Guard it Design it Man Cave itHow many different types of Garages are under construction as we read?
👷🏽♂️Architects
“ How much does an Architectural Intern make in Columbus, Ohio?
As of Feb ...more
How May I Help You NC • 145 Views • February 12th, 2026 |
 |
Unlock Your Entrepreneur Journey — NEXT GEN Info SessionDate & TimeTuesday, February 1710:00 AM PST / 12:00 PM CST / 1:00 PM ESTVirtual EventREGISTER HERE:https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/a...Tuesday, March 1710:00 AM PST / 12:00 PM CST / 1:00 ...more
Laura Van Brackle Sims • 348 Views • February 9th, 2026 |
 |
Love a little help from my friend: Stevie WonderCurator: Sami YenigunStevie Wonder needs little introduction. His awards and achievements — 25 Grammy Awards, a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, more than 100 million records sold worldwide — ...more
How May I Help You NC • 389 Views • February 9th, 2026 |
 |
YouTube CEO — 4 Big Priorities for 2026 Neal Mohan@YouTube CEO @nealmohan talks with YouTube Liaison @ReneRitchie about his four big priorities for 2026, including:
⭐️ Reinventing entertainment: Cre ...more
How May I Help You NC • 478 Views • February 8th, 2026 |
Popular Career Content
 |
PAID, federal internships with the Federal Diversity Internship Initiative!The Washington Center Federal Diversity Internship Initiative Now is your chance to apply for paid fall internships with the Federal Diversity Internship Initiative! This is your once-in-a-lifetime op ...more
Reginald Culpepper • 41,909 Views • June 14th, 2017 |
 |
Today's Success Tip: Joachim de Posada says, Don't eat the marshmallow...yetWe were invited to the National Association of African Americans in Human Resource's reception held at the
Atlanta Marriott Marquis during the SHRM conference, and the gift/tip we walked away with w ...more
How May I Help You NC • 41,018 Views • June 29th, 2012 |
